skip to main content

Vegetable Gardening

Planting medium for veggies over grass clippings

9 years ago

Copying my post from the soil forum...
I have an area in my backyard which slopes down - about 4 feet down over 7 feet. I have filled it up with grass clippings and fall leaves and straw bales over the last 3-4 years. So now there is about 2 feet of grass clippings, leaves and straw there. I also dump old used potting mix, weeds and other organic matter in there.
I would like to plant some squash plants - zucchini, yellow squash, pumpkins there.
Here is what I was thinking of doing -
I have some large tubs from which I can remove the bottoms and sink them in the leaves/grass clippings mix. And then fill the tubs with potting mix and plant the squash in these tubs. I was wondering what I could use to fill the tubs - miracle grow potting mix? That would be the most expensive. Any other ideas?
I have seen Black Kow claiming that you could plant veggies directly into the compost bags. May be I could fill the tubs with it?
Underneath the grass clippings is all clay. And I would like to avoid having to dig all the way down to mix it all - hence the idea of planting in tubs sunk in and filled with potting mix, surrounded by the decomposing grass and other organic matter.

Sort by:Oldest

Comment (1)

Related Stories

FARM YOUR YARD How to Build a Raised Bed for Your Veggies and Plants

By Annie Thornton

Whether you’re farming your parking strip or beautifying your backyard, a planting box you make yourself can come in mighty handy

GOLD FOLIAGE Great Design Plant: Feather Reed Grass

By Annie Thornton

Use this ornamental grass for height, color, texture and motion in your landscape

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Great Design Plant: Lively Fountain Grass Thrives Just About Anywhere

By Paintbox Garden

Enjoy fountain grass for its exuberant form, long-lasting color and texture for borders and more

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Top California Native Plants, Trees and Grasses

By Debbie Ballentine

Enjoy a fuss-free, water-wise garden in the Golden State by growing plants naturally in tune with the climate and wildlife

GARDENING GUIDES Garden Myths to Debunk as You Dig This Fall and Rest Over Winter

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Termites hate wood mulch, don’t amend soil for trees, avoid gravel in planters — and more nuggets of garden wisdom

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Is It Time to Consider Fake Grass?

By J. Peterson Garden Design

With more realistic-looking options than ever, synthetic turf can be a boon. Find the benefits and an installation how-to here

GRASSES 10 Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses in the Landscape

By Laura Gaskill

These low-maintenance plants can add beauty, texture and privacy to any size garden

CENTRAL PLAINS NATIVE PLANTS 10 Top Grasses for the Central Plains

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Low-maintenance grasses provide seasonal interest and wildlife habitat, and aid good design

GARDENING GUIDES Meet the Grass-Carrying Wasp, a Gentle Pollinator of Summer Flowers

By Pollination Press LLC

These fascinating insects nest in wood cavities and hollow plant stems

URBAN GARDENS In London, a Crowded Patch of Grass Becomes a Patio for Entertaining

A chic combo of wood siding, clever plantings and lots of elegant sandstone transforms a plain garden into a stylish space

Sponsored

More Discussions

Garden slug tip

3

Slug killer 1% Iron Phosphate vs. 5% Sodium Ferric?

2

What are rabbits favorite veggies?

11

How often to add soil sulfur?

5

Al's Potting Mix-pine bark fines

5